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Aakash Chopra questions Mohammed Siraj's exclusion from India's ODI squad 
18 Jul 2026

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has raised eyebrows over Mohammed Siraj's recent exclusion from India's white-ball squads.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra said that Siraj is usually the first player to be left out of the team.

However, he also believes that the fast bowler will soon make a return to limited-overs cricket for India.

Notably, the next year's ODI World Cup will take place in South Africa, where conditions are conducive for fast bowling.

Siraj's exclusion raises questions
Recent exclusions

Siraj was rested for the T20I series against Ireland and England, with Prasidh Krishna taking his place.

He was also not included in the 15-member squad for the ongoing ODI series against England.

"We have sidelined him silently. We did that in ODIs first, saying he is unable to bowl with the old ball. He remains out in T20 cricket in any case, although he was a part of the World Cup," Chopra said.

Impressive T20 WC performance
Past performances

Despite his absence from the white-ball setup, Chopra recalled Siraj's impressive performance in the T20 World Cup 2026.

He had taken three wickets in India's tournament opener against USA.

However, he hasn't played a T20I since then and was also not picked for the Afghanistan series or ongoing matches against England.

Siraj's ODI and T20I performance
Future prospects

Chopra is hopeful of Siraj's return to the Indian team, saying he's the kind of player you can't keep away for long.

"There is a slight lack of clarity. He is the first man to be left out, but I feel you will see him as part of the Indian team going forward."

His performance record backs this up, 76 wickets at an economy rate of 5.13 in 49 ODI innings.